11 Simple Ways to Take Care of Your Computer

Your computer is a valuable electronic investment that needs to be cared for. Here are some basic and simple tips to take care of your computer.

1. Get Padded Protection for Your Laptop.

Pick up a laptop sleep, laptop case or a laptop bookbag to carry around your computer. You can even consider making your own out of a sleeping bag or pillow. Dropping your laptop a couple of times could result in crashing it, and wiping out all your important documents.

2. Be Good to Your Battery.

Laptop batteries will only last for a few years. So, try not to leave your battery charging all the time. When the battery is done charging, unplug the power cable, or remove the battery. You should also charge your battery fully before unplugging the power cable, and also use the battery fully before recharging.

3. Use Antivirus and a Firewall.

It's important to use an antivirus program that's updated. It could cost over $150 to fix your computer if you get a virus or spyware. You also want to protect any confidential information you may have on your computer.

4. Defragment Your Hard Drive.

If you use a Mac, your computer already maintains itself regularly. If you use a PC, you should defragment your hard drive regularly to get your computer to run faster.

To access your Disk Defragmenter:

Click Start

Programs

Accessories

System tools

Disk Defragmenter

5. Declutter.

Get rid of old files you don't need anymore. Use Disk Cleanup to delete temporary files, files in the recycle bin, and other files you don't need anymore.

To access Disk Cleanup:

Click Start

All Programs

Accessories

System Tools

Disk Cleanup

You should also clean out your browsing and download history if you don't need them anymore.

If you're using Mozilla Firefox, go to:

Tools

Clear Recent History

If you're using Google Chrome, go to:

Settings (wrench icon on the right)

History

Edit items

Clear all browsing data

6. Reformat Your Computer.

If your computer is wearing out, consider backing up all your files and reinstalling your operating system. I find that it's such a hassle sometimes but I do it for my own protection, especially after I delete viruses or spyware from my computer.

7. Be Careful With Food and Drinks.

You won't believe how many computers are ruined with accidents involving food and drinks (especially coffee, according to hubber hotwebideas). Use a canteen or bottle with a lid to avoid spilling drinks onto your computer. Be careful when eating foods with sauces because a simple spill could cause a big problem.

8. Disable Programs You Don't Use.

If your computer takes a long time to load, it's probably because it's loading programs that are set to run on startup. Check out which programs you don't need to run on startup by accessing System Configuation, and disable them.

To access System Configuration and check out which programs are running on startup, go to:

Click Start

Click "Run..."

Type in "msconfig"

Click the tab "Startup"

Uncheck programs you don't want to load on startup

Click "Apply" and then "OK" (may require your computer to restart)

9. Keep Your Computer Cool.

Avoid using your computer on soft surfaces (like your bed) because that will prevent air from flowing through your computer. Try to find a cool and hard surface for your computer to prevent overheating, and to encourage airflow. If you have a usable and cool basement, consider using your computer there. You should also invest in a cooling pad or fan to prevent overheating.

10. Be patient. And don't run too much at once.

Every program requires a bit of your CPU. Be patient if you're trying to run a program, and it's taking a while. Don't immediately hit the power button every time your computer freezes for a minute. Wait a while and then use your intuition to assess whether or not you should reboot.

Try not to run too many programs and tabs at once. Close any programs and tabs you don't need to avoid freezing your computer.

11. Clean Your Computer.

It's important to clean your computer to prevent dust from decreasing
airflow, which can make your computer overheat. You can pick up Air Dusters to clean the dust regularly. Be very gentle when
cleaning your computer.

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Comments 11 comments

Good suggestions, I use a Mac so I'm glad it does some of these things (#4); otherwise I'd definitely forget!

hotwebideas 5 years ago from New York

Yeah, as a web designer, I always have to declutter.

Also, you forgot to add "Don't put coffee near your keyboard". I did that a few months ago and ruined my laptop and I killed the motherboard.

mark 5 years ago

Great tips. BTW, your choice of pictures is awesome!

anna 5 years ago

I really appreciate this nice list of tips.

puddingicecream 5 years ago from United States Author

Mark, glad you liked the pictures.

Anna, hope these tips will come in handy.

Solomon 4 years ago

Just what i wanted, gud job

breathing 3 years ago from Bangladesh

I am using my Desktop from the last five years and it is working well. I always take care of it. You have given many valuable ideas to keep computer well. Those ideas are fantastic. I have learned a lot of things what were unknown to me. Thanks a lot.

cute gurl 3 years ago

yeah your right ... your ideas is so good ...

boy d-pack 3 years ago

best idea but i need serial no bcoz my computer is already in bad situition

john 3 years ago

thanks?

iguidenetwork 3 years ago from Austin, TX

Every weekend I try my best to clean my computer, internally and externally. Thanks for your additional tips. Voted up and useful. :)